Bacon and sausages trigger hundreds of breast cancer cases a year in the UK

Middle-aged women eating more than 9g a day — the equivalent of two sausages or three rashers of bacon in a week — were up to a fifth more likely to develop breast cancer than those eating none.

Those eating small, infrequent servings were 15 per cent more at risk.

University of Glasgow experts found no risk to younger women of eating processed meats — and no link between breast cancer and red meat in any women.

Naveed Sattar, professor of metabolic medicine at Glasgow, said: “My public health advice for women would be: if you’re particularly concerned about breast cancer, then it might be another incentive to improve your quality of diet by eating less processed meats.”

Cancer risk slashed after scientists produce the first nitrate-free bacon